Animal poke



E. A. BEARD ANIMAL POKE Filed July 12, 1946 June 8, 1948.

INVENTOR. EDMMD ABE/4RD ATTQAWEYS Patented June 8, 1948 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE ANIMAL POKE Edward A. Beard, Marseilles, 111. ApplicationJuly 12, 1946, Serial No. 683,209 2 Claims. (01. 119-136) This inventionrelates to devices for restraining the movements of animals, such as forpreventing cows from breaking through fences, and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a cow pulse which, whencarried about the animal's neck, will prevent it from breaking throughan enclosure, by giving it an electric shock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cow poke for giving ananimal an electric shock when it tries to break through a fence, andincluding means for fastening the device about the neck of the animaland for bringing it into operation when the animal tries to breakthrough an enclosure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cow poke which is notinjurious to the animal, yet is simple in construction, inexpensive tomanufacture, and effective in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in position about the neck ofa cow.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a plan view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2. v

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken on line 5-4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of the electrical connections ofthe device.

Reference is now had to the drawings in which like reference charactersdenote similar parts throughout the several views. As illustrated, thereis a metal frame 2 which has a substantially straight side portion t,with an upper end portion 8 curved as shown, and a lower end portion 8.The lower portion 8 has a substantially straight base portion l0connected at each end to upwardly divergent side members I2 and It. Theframe 2 is conveniently formed from one piece of metal strip having afair degree of rigidity, and as will be observed, is open at the rightside between locations I6 and 18 as seen in Figure 2 to allow it to beplaced around the neck of the cow.

A relatively wide strap 20, which is conveniently formed of leather orother flexible electrically insulating material, is disposed within theconfines of the outer main frame 2, assuming a shape as seen in Figure2, somewhat like an oval, the strap 20 being secured to the inside ofthe 2 frame 2 by means of electrically conductive rivets 22 and 24, theupper arcuate portion 26 of the stra being spaced from the upper arcuateportion 6 of the mainframe except at the location of the rivets 22 and2d.

The lower arcuate portion 28 of the strap 20 extends near the lowerportion of the main frame, and is similarly spaced therefrom asillustrated in Figure 2. Smaller leather tie-straps 30 and 32 areriveted to themain frame at 34 and 36 and are buckled around the mainstrap 20 in a loose loop allowing plenty of play, so as to permit thecow to move its head and neck while still allowing the lower portion ofthe device to yield somewhat. The main strap 2! has a buckle 38 for thereception of the end 40 of the strap as illustrated.

A hollow metal box 42, shaped to fltbetween the inclined sides l2 and Mof the main frame, is secured therebetween and its case is grounded tothe frame. At the upper end of the device as seen in Figure 2, asubstantially U-shaped bracket 44 is fastened to but insulated from thearcuate portion 6 of the main frame. The cross portion 46 has anaperture 28 formed therein which is large enough in diameter to allow ametal actuating rod Ell-to extend axially therethrough while beingspaced from the metal sides of the aperture 48, so as not to normallymake electrical contact therewith. The rapper actuating rod 50 isanchored at its lower end 52 'to the arcuate portion '8 of the mainframe, but is insulated therefrom. This may be done as illustrated inFigure 4, by inserting an insulating grommet 54 in an aperture formed inthe main frame 2, extending the rod 50 therethrough, and securing it inplace by means of a nut 56 or other fastening device thereon. Theactuating rod 50 should be flexible enough that electrical contact willbe made between the rod 59 and the bracket 44 when the rod 56' is bentinto contact with the sides of aperture 48. Thus the combination of therod, 50 and the bracket id'constitutes an electrical switch, which isnormally open.

' Another metal bracket 58 is similarly secured to but insulated fromthe lower portion of the main frame, and it likewise has a lower metalactuating rod 60' extending through but normally spaced from an aperture62 formed in the bracket 58, the rod 60 being secured to and insulatedfrom the main frame portion ID by a construction similar to thatillustrated in Figure 4 for the upper rod 50, so as to constitute asimilarly normally open switch. j

It is apparent that when the device is mounted on the cow's neck asillustrated in Figural, and

the cow tries to go through a fence, contact of either of the actuatingrods 80 or 50, or both, with the rails of the fence, will bend the rodsagainst the brackets 44 or 58, thereby closing the switches formedthereby. In the construction shown, the closing of either or both of theswitches as described, actuates an electrical shocking device containedinside the box- 42, to give the cow 3. suiilciently strong, butotherwise relatively mild and harmless electrical shock which willcondition it against attempting further fence breaking.

For this purpose, I have arranged several seriesconnected dry cellbatteries 64 within the box '42 to serve as a source of power to actuatea vibrator 68 and primary coil 68 of a step-up transformer whereby arelatively high voltage is induced across the secondary coil 12 of thetransformer. As shown, there are two wires 14 and 16, wire ll beingconnected to the rods 50 and 60 and wire 18 being connected to thebrackets 44 and 58, the

wires 14 and 16 also leading into the box 42 for connection to thebatteries GI and vibrator 86 as shown in Figure 5. The wires 14 and 18may conveniently be carried in a channel formed by a thinner strap I8carried on the back of the main belt 20.

The secondary coil 12 has one lead 80 connected to a flexible metalstrip 82 carried on the inner surface of the main belt 20 and extendingaround from locations 84 to 86, the end 84 stopping a short distancefrom the metal rivet 24, and the member 82 being insulated from theother metal rivet 22. The other end of the secondary coil 12 is groundedto the main frame 2 by lead 88. It is obvious that when the cow tries togo through a fence, the rods 50' or 60 being bent against the brackets44 or 58, close the primary circuit causing current to flow, andinducing a high voltage across the secondary, which is led to the metalstrip 82 in contact with a large strip portion of the cows neck, and tothe main frame to make contact with the cows neck through the rivetssuch as 24. Hence, the cow gets an electrical shock which is aneflicient'deterrent. when she backs away from the fence, the rods 50 and60 resume their original position, opening the circuit, and are ready tofunction again when needed.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention inspecific terms, it is to be understood that various changes may be madein size, shape, materials and arrangement without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as claimed I claim:

1. A device for restraining unwanted move- 4 ments of animals in thenature of breaking through fences and the like, comprising a main frameopen at one side to allow the frame to be placed about the neck of ananimal, an insulating flexible strap secured to the inside of the frameand open at one side to allow it to be buckled about the animal's neck,container disposed on the main frame, battery operated electricalshocking means disposed therein. electrical contact members projectingoutward from the main frame and insulated therefrom, bracket memberscarried on the main frame and insulated therefrom, said contact membersand bracket members forming normally open switches adapted to be closedupon contact of said contact members with a fence or the like, saidswitches being connected to said shocking means, and means connectedbetween the shocking means and the animal's body, for conducting theretoan electrical voltage induced by closing said switches, for shocking theanimal.

2. A device for restraining the unwanted movements of animals in thenature of breaking through fences and the like, comprising a main frameopen at one side to allow the frame to be placed about the neck of ananimal, an insulating flexible strap secured to the inside of the frameand open at one side to allow it to be buckled about the animal's neck,a container disposed on the main frame. battery operated electricalshocking means including a vibrator, battery, condenser and transformer,disposed in said container for producing a high voltage. a plurality ofbrackets insulated from and carried on the Numbermain frame and havingapertures therethrough, a plurality of projecting contact rods extendingthrough said apertures and insulated therefrom and from the main frame,said brackets and rods constituting normally open switches which whenclosed by bending of said rods against said brackets. actuate saidshocking means to induce said high voltage, and high voltage contactmeans including a flexible metal contact member carried on said strapand rivets extending through the strap, both into contact with theanimal's neck, for giving it a shock upon fence breaking motion.

. EDWARD A. BEARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Faulhaber Mar. 18, 1930 Backer Oct.31,1939

